Birthdays are a huge deal for me! I think it’s important to celebrate yourself, everything you’ve overcome, and life! So each year, I’m always excited to plan a way to celebrate myself.
This year, I was torn on what I wanted to do. I am expecting and then there was/is a lot going on in our country and world. With COVID-19 and protests, I wasn’t sure if I would be able to do anything outside of the house. I also really didn’t want to host a Zoom birthday party LOL. They have been cute, but I didn’t want to have one for myself.
If I couldn’t go out for my birthday, the plan was to go to a hotel. At the very least, I wanted to be able to sleep in and wake up in a new environment. We’ve been in the house for a few months and I was excited to get some air. The backup option was to have catered dinner at home. Like most people, we’ve been cooking multiple meals per day (and kids are ALWAYS hungry).
When May approached, things started to open back up. So I knew I would at least be able to go out for dinner. I’m a super type-A planner and rarely like to make last-minute decisions. In June things started to open back up more and I was torn on going somewhere or staying home for my birthday. I was torn because of everything happening in our world, but I also really needed some air.
My husband and I talked about maybe going to a local beach for a few days, but in my heart, I was a little sad. Before COVID-19, I planned to go to Siesta Key for my birthday. I went last year for my 30th birthday (see the blog post), but this year I wanted to bring our kids.
Four days before my birthday, my husband was still asking what I decided to do about my birthday. I decided to do exactly what I wanted and be spontaneous. I said, “Let’s get away for a few days and go to Florida!” I purchased the tickets and he was shocked. I never really make last-minute decisions, so this took him by surprise. He’s usually the one making spontaneous plans.
The excitement really set in! Our family watched the kids. We originally planned to take them on my birthday vacation, but with home school, constant cooking and cleaning over the past three months while schools were closed, our families agreed that we NEEDED a break.
Because I waited until the last minute, ticket prices went up significantly, so we went to an airport that was further from our home (Richmond International). On the morning of our trip, I was SO excited! I was happy that I did something spontaneous that was on my heart. I was also excited to go back to Florida because it’s one of my favorite domestic vacation destinations. I also wanted to take this trip because I’m six months pregnant and won’t be able to fly soon and we won’t be flying for a while with a new baby.
Our First Day
When we arrived in Miami, I was so excited LOL! I’ve been 4-5 times before, but I didn’t expect to be there so soon. It was also so nice to have a break and alone time with my husband. We’ve had date nights in the house during COVID, but we’re used to having date nights outside of the home at least once a week.
We decided to get an early flight, so we could enjoy our Saturday. We arrived in the morning, dropped our stuff off at our hotel room then did some shopping.
Afterward, we went to the Miami hot spot Wet Willie’s. I enjoyed lemonade and a great lunch. My hubby had a few frozen drinks. It was so amazing to take in.
After having a great lunch, we headed to the beach to relax and get in the water, then later we checked into our hotel. After getting up early and the long flight, we fell asleep for a few hours LOL. We then got dressed and headed out. One of the things I love about Miami is that there are so many late-night options. In some places, if you wake up late, you’ll have to find food in a vending machine or fast food. But the great thing about Miami is that even though we woke up around 9 pm, there were still tons of options for us. The bar at our hotel was great and made me a cute mocktail.
We chatted at dinner outside and enjoyed the breeze! After dinner, we slept in late and woke up in the early afternoon to have brunch! For the most part, I ate light because there was a ton of walking and it was HOT! We had lunch at Rakija Lounge.
The Hotel
One of my favorite parts of my birthday was the hotel! We normally stay at boutique hotels. This time we were upgraded to a larger hotel, Hotel Victor. It was the BEST hotel I’ve ever stayed at in Miami. The cleanliness, decor, staff -- all perfect!
For my birthday, I wanted to relax and take a bubble bath, and the deep tub was relaxing and had a nice ocean view.
Day Two
For the second night at dinner, we ate Pink Taco! That was my favorite meal while on the trip! I loved it so much, I grabbed it before we headed home to the airport. We sat outside and watched people walk the strip. I love Mexican food and it was sooooo good!
We enjoyed a salsa and chip trio for the appetizer, then for dinner, my husband had steak fajitas. I enjoyed the achiote chicken taco meal with cilantro rice and salad!
After dinner, it was my birthday eve, I decided to relax and take a bath. I wanted to reflect on the past year. The triumphs and the lessons and think about everything I wanted for year 31.
My Birthday
For my birthday breakfast, we ate at Big Pink! We’ve been there before and they always have great food and good portions.
My other birthday wish was to relax on the beach! After breakfast, we dropped our things off at the hotel and grabbed complimentary beach towels and chairs, then made our way to the beach!
Relaxing beachside on my birthday
On my birthday evening, we relaxed poolside.
On the day we were supposed to leave, we were happy we picked a late flight. This gave us time to each lunch and enjoy the pool and beach until the evening.
My 31st birthday was great and I’m thankful for a safe trip and another year!
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